Health Minister Marjorie Michel’s department has sealed internal reports on vaccine and drug injuries for 15 years, records show. The documents run to “several million pages," it said. READ MORE
Feds Confirm Pro-Castro Talk
Farm Credit Canada confirms its $458,000-a year CEO in a speech to staff praised Fidel Castro as an impressive and visionary leader. The Crown bank had no comment on remarks by Justine Hendricks, who also praised Communist Party management of Cuba: "It’s Fidel Castro. There’s all sorts of aspects of Fidel Castro." READ MORE
10% Of Small Operators Gone
A tenth of small businesses in Canada have vanished since the pandemic, new Department of Industry figures show. Data confirmed Canadian Federation of Independent Business research showing nationally, closures now outnumber start-ups: "We are bleeding businesses." READ MORE
McGuinty Defends Rent Hike
Defence Minister David McGuinty has vetoed a recommendation by MPs that he freeze rents on military housing. Money was required to upgrade accommodation on military bases that failed a 2025 audit, he said: "The Government of Canada disagrees with this." READ MORE
Toxic Plastic Order’s Upheld
A cabinet order blacklisting all plastic goods as toxic was “simply an enabling provision,” says the Federal Court of Appeal. Judges upheld the 2021 order by then-Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault but acknowledged more legal challenges are possible: "There was overwhelming scientific evidence." READ MORE
Ottawa Lost: The Roxy Apt’s
The landmark was expropriated by the National Capital Commission in May 1965 and all tenants including MPs and a Supreme Court justice were evicted six months later. The building was demolished. “A disgrace,” one 89-year old tenant said of the destruction. “They are pulling down the only decent apartment building in the city.” READ MORE
Book Review: Petty — And Profound
What do municipalities and First Nation reserves have in common? Both are used to being told what to do. It’s natural, then, that any review of Indigenous self-government would examine how these two get along at the most elemental level. A Quiet Evolution is the first research of its kind, and prompts the reader to wonder why nobody thought of this before. It turns out relationships between cities and reserves can be petty or profound. Human, in other words. If Parliament ever settles outstanding land claims and accepts Indigenous property rights nationwide, it would look something like this. “It would be easy to conclude that the Indigenous-Crown relationship is almost entirely adversarial and problematic,” authors write. “While this pessimism is certainly pervasive and somewhat justified, given Canada’s history of colonialism, a much different story seems to be unfolding at this local level.” READ MORE
Guest Commentary
As a Sunni Muslim we learned we were on the correct path and everyone else was going to hell. Minorities were suspicious people who harboured questionable loyalties. I immigrated to Canada at 19. I went from being a member of a privileged majority to a visible minority. Sometimes it was a sideways glance or remark: “He’s a Muslim,” “He’s an Arab”. I’ve lived on both sides of prejudice. The insight it’s given me is invaluable. There is no substitute for empathy and courtesy.
